Entering a supplier bill with line items means recording each row of the invoice (item, quantity, price, account and GST) instead of one lump sum.
Before you start
- A user role that can create bills: Administrator, Standard, Sales and purchases or Purchases. Draft sales and purchases can only create drafts.
The Xero way
Where to find it: Purchases > Bills > New bill
- Click New bill (or the create new icon at the top right, then Bill).
- In From, choose the supplier.
- Enter the Date and the Due date, and type the supplier's invoice number in Reference.
- Set Amounts are (Tax exclusive, Tax inclusive or No tax).
- On each line enter the Item (optional), Description, Qty, Price, Account and Tax rate. Add a Tracking option if you use tracking categories.
- Click the file icon to attach the supplier's invoice (optional).
- Save the bill as a draft, send it for approval or approve it yourself.
Limits in Xero
- Xero shows one total per line. There is no percentage split.
- A difference of more than 0.10 between the total you enter and the total Xero calculates triggers a prompt that the two totals do not match.
Good to know in Xero
- Xero warns you if the reference and contact name match an existing bill. The warning does not stop you saving.
- You can copy an existing bill. An attachment is not copied.
- If you tick the option when saving, Xero keeps the bill details as that supplier's purchase defaults.
The Pulsify way
- Forward the supplier's invoice to your Pulsify address or upload it. Pulsify reads every printed row as its own line.
- Pulsify finds the supplier in Xero and suggests an account for each line from how that supplier was coded before.
- Review the lines in Pulsify. Fix any account or tax rate and approve.
- On approval, Pulsify creates the bill in Xero with the original file attached.
Pulsify connects to Xero in one click. Approved bills are created in Xero with the source file attached.
What Pulsify does not do here
- Pulsify aims for 99% accuracy, but you still review each bill before approval.
Example in Xero
Example Electrical Wholesale bills you for cable, junction boxes and freight. Amounts are set to Tax exclusive.
| Line | Amount | Tagged to |
|---|---|---|
| 12 x cable drum at $85.00 | $1,020.00 | Account: Materials, Tax rate: GST on Expenses |
| 6 x junction box at $14.50 | $87.00 | Account: Materials, Tax rate: GST on Expenses |
| Freight | $48.00 | Account: Freight in, Tax rate: GST on Expenses |
Subtotal $1,155.00 plus GST $115.50 gives a bill total of $1,270.50. Type the supplier's invoice number in Reference, then check the total against the invoice before you approve.
Common mistakes
- Leaving Amounts are on the wrong setting, so prices that include GST are read as tax exclusive.
- Leaving Reference empty. Xero then has nothing to compare against when it warns about a repeat bill.
More help
- How to enter a bill with line items in AccountRight
- How to enter a bill with line items in MYOB Business
- How to enter a purchase invoice with line items in Sage 50
- How to get bill records in by email to Xero
- How to code one bill to several account codes in Xero
- How to code a bill with mixed GST lines in Xero
- All Xero how-to guides
- Pulsify setup guides
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-19. Confidence: confirmed.
Common questions
Can I save a Xero bill without approving it?
Yes. Save it as a draft, send it for approval or approve it yourself. People with the Draft sales and purchases role can only create drafts.
Where do I type the supplier's invoice number?
In Reference. Xero warns you if the reference and contact name match an existing bill. The warning does not stop you saving.
What if my total is different from the invoice?
Xero prompts you when the total you enter and the total it calculates differ by more than 0.10. Check the Amounts are setting and the Tax rate on each line.
Pulsify setup guides
Want this done for you?
Book a call to see how Pulsify handles supplier bills in Xero.